Development of a Measure for the Organizational Learning Construct

TLDR

Organizational learning (OL) is gaining attention in MIS research and practice because it can influence outcomes such as control, intelligence, competitive advantage, and knowledge exploitation, warranting further measurement development. This study aims to develop an empirically reliable and valid measure of organizational learning grounded in a literature‑based domain definition. The measure was derived using a rigorous approach that integrates two instrument‑development frameworks, ensuring empirical reliability and validity. The study produced an eight‑factor, 28‑item OL instrument comprising awareness, communication, performance assessment, intellectual cultivation, environmental adaptability, social learning, intellectual capital management, and organizational grafting, which managers can use to assess success in IT application diffusion. Keywords: innovation, organizational change, organizational intelligence, organizational learning, scale development, technology adoption.

Abstract

Abstract The concept of organizational learning (OL) is receiving an increasing amount of attention in the research and practice of management information systems (MIS) due to its potential for affecting organizational outcomes, including control and intelligence, competitive advantage, and the exploitation of knowledge and technology.As such, further development of the salient issues related to OL is warranted, especially measurement of the construct. Based on a domain definition grounded in the literature, this research represents the initial work in developing an empirically reliable and valid measure of organizational learning. The rigorous method utilized in the derivation of this measure, which integrates two methodological frameworks for instrument development, is the main strength of this work. The result is an eightfactor, 28-item instrument for assessing OL, derived from a sample of 119 knowledge-based firms. The empirically derived factors are awareness, communication, performance assessment, intellectual cultivation, environmental adaptability, social learning, intellectual capital management, and organizational grafting. MIS function managers can use these factors to gauge organizational or subunit success in the creation and diffusion of new applications of information technology. Keywords: INNOVATION ORGANIZATIONAL CHANGE ORGANIZATIONAL INTELLIGENCE ORGANIZATIONAL LEARNING SCALE DEVELOPMENT TECHNOLOGY ADOPTION